Rise & Pray

And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:39-46)

In the most agonizing moments of His life, Jesus did not run from God – He ran to Him. As the weight of the cross drew nearer, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to pray, as was His custom. This wasn’t new, prayer was a big part of Jesus’ lifestyle – it was His safe place, His renewal of strength, His lifeline to the Father. And in this moment of overwhelming sorrow, He modeled what to do when temptation and suffering feel unbearable: pray.

Jesus had every reason to feel tempted. The cross was not only physical torture – it was separation, public humiliation, and the crushing weight of all sin and God’s wrath. Jesus knew what was coming, and He possibly could have remembered Satan’s offer in the wilderness. That earlier temptation – “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9) – an offer meant to tempt avoidance of the cross. A temptation of an easier way – a way out.

But instead of entering into that temptation, Jesus entered into prayer.

He cried out, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” This is the essence of prayer: not to avoid all pain or get what we want, but to bring every fear, every weakness, and every desire to God – and then submit to His will in full trust and surrender.

Jesus’ instructions to His disciples are just as urgent for us: “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Temptation is not sin—but without prayer, we are far more likely to fall into sin. Whether it’s the temptation to give up, lash out, run away, or seek comfort outside of God’s will, our greatest protection is not our willpower – it’s our connection with the Father.

Fervent and genuine prayer doesn’t always change our circumstances, but it does change us. Prayer strengthens our resolve, reminds us of truth, re-centers our perspective, and fills us with grace to obey, even when it’s hard.

So, when you feel overwhelmed, pray.

When you feel tempted, pray.

When you don’t know what to do, pray.

Jesus has shown us the way and prayer is not a last resort – it’s the path to victory. Our connection to the Father, and strengthening our resolve to do His will, is the pathway to victory over every temptation. May we always make prayer our first response, not just in moments of crisis, but in every moment of life. Let us not enter into temptation, but be led into deeper communion with God through prayer and overcome just as Jesus did.